Cowansville

Cowansville
City

Nesbitt House, Cowansville

Coat of arms
Motto: Fortitudo et decor

Location within Brome-Missisquoi RCM
Cowansville

Location in southern Quebec

Coordinates: 45°12′N 72°45′W / 45.200°N 72.750°W / 45.200; -72.750Coordinates: 45°12′N 72°45′W / 45.200°N 72.750°W / 45.200; -72.750[1]
Country  Canada
Province  Quebec
Region Montérégie
RCM Brome-Missisquoi
Constituted January 1, 1876
Government[2][3]
 • Mayor Arthur Fauteux
 • Federal riding Brome—Missisquoi
 • Prov. riding Brome-Missisquoi
Area[2][4]
 • City 48.70 km2 (18.80 sq mi)
 • Land 46.09 km2 (17.80 sq mi)
 • Urban[5] 29.42 km2 (11.36 sq mi)
 • Metro[6] 46.09 km2 (17.80 sq mi)
Population (2011)[4]
 • City 12,489
 • Density 271.0/km2 (702/sq mi)
 • Urban[5] 11,615
 • Urban density 394.8/km2 (1,023/sq mi)
 • Metro[6] 12,489
 • Metro density 271.0/km2 (702/sq mi)
 • Pop 2006-2011 Increase 2.5%
 • Dwellings 5,789
Time zone EST (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−4)
Postal code(s) J2K 1T4
Area code(s) 450 and 579
Highways Route 104
Route 139
Route 202
Route 241
Geocode 46080
Website www.ville.cowansville.qc.ca

Cowansville is a town in south-central Quebec, Canada, located on Lac Davignon 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of the U.S. border. It is the seat of Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality. The population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 12,489.

In recent years, Cowansville has seen its commercial activity blossom mainly due to its proximity to a major freeway, Autoroute 10, and the Eastern Townships ski resort region.

History and name

Water Fountain in downtown Cowansville

Jacob Ruiter was the first person to settle on the current site of Cowansville. In 1800 he built a flour mill, and then a saw mill. In 1805, Ruiter named the small town as Nelsonville, in honour of British admiral, Lord Horatio Nelson, who was killed in the naval Battle of Trafalgar.

The city's current name is due to Peter Cowan, a merchant from Montreal who settled in the area in 1836 and become postmaster in 1841. In order to avoid the mail being sent inadvertently to another city named Nelsonville, close to Hamilton in Upper Canada, he decided to change its name.

During the 1870s, the construction of the South Eastern Railway linking Montreal to Cowansville and the opening of the first bank, the Eastern Townships Bank, contributed to the expansion of the small city, which allows many businesses settle in the area. The municipality detached from the district of Dunham, and incorporated on the January 1, 1876 and officially was named Cowansville. In February of the same year James O'Halloran was acclaimed as Mayor by the town council. Cowansville saw a strong industrial growth during the 20th century, and became a city on June 25, 1931, and has grown since World War II by various annexations, such as Sweetsburg in 1964.

The municipality has a current population of over 12,000. The main economy is based on the industrial sector, in particular textiles. There is also a hospital, Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins, a municipal court, a federal penitentiary, and a Nature Centre close to Davignon Lake.

Cowansville is the seat of the judicial district of Bedford.[7] It is also the birth place of the artist and botanist Faith Fyles.

Demographics

Population

Canada census – Cowansville, Quebec community profile
2011 2006
Population: 12,489 (+2.5% from 2006) 12,182 (+1.2% from 2001)
Land area: 46.09 km2 (17.80 sq mi) 46.09 km2 (17.80 sq mi)
Population density: 271.0/km2 (702/sq mi) 264.3/km2 (685/sq mi)
Median age: 45.5 (M: 43.2, F: 47.5) 43.7 (M: 41.8, F: 45.8)
Total private dwellings: 5,789 5,461
Median household income: $43,252 $41,010
References: 2011[4] 2006[8] earlier[9]
Historical Census Data - Cowansville, Quebec[10]
YearPop.±%
1991 11,986—    
1996 12,051+0.5%
YearPop.±%
2001 12,032−0.2%
2006 12,182+1.2%
YearPop.±%
2011 12,489+2.5%

Language

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Cowansville, Quebec[10]
Census Total
French
English
French & English
Other
Year Responses Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop % Count Trend Pop %
2011
12,135
 9,780 Increase 2.6% 80.59% 1,970 Increase 15.5% 16.23% 195 Increase 25.8% 1.61% 190 Decrease 7.3% 1.56%
2006
11,600
 9,535 Increase 0.6% 82.20% 1,705 Increase 10.7% 14.70% 155 Decrease 18.4% 1.33% 205 Increase 156.2% 1.77%
2001
11,290
 9,480 Increase 5.9% 83.97% 1,540 Decrease 17.9% 13.64% 190 Decrease 19.1% 1.68% 80 Decrease 44.8% 0.71%
1996
11,205
 8,950 n/a 79.88% 1,875 n/a 16.73% 235 n/a 2.10% 145 n/a 1.29%

See also

References

  1. ↑ Reference number 15704 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (in French)
  2. 1 2 Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire: Cowansville
  3. ↑ Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: BROME--MISSISQUOI (Quebec)
  4. 1 2 3 "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  5. 1 2 2011 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Cowansville, Quebec (Population centre).
  6. 1 2 2011 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Cowansville, Quebec (Census agglomeration) The census agglomeration consists of only Cowansville itself. In the 2006 census it had also included East Farnham.
  7. ↑ Territorial Division Act. Revised Statutes of Quebec D-11.
  8. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  9. ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
  10. 1 2 Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census


Adjacent Municipal Subdivisions
 Brigham
East Farnham
Dunham Brome Lake
   Cowansville  
Dunham


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